As the holiday season approaches, many Mississippi State students are looking forward to spending time with their families and taking part in some of their favorite traditions.

As one might expect, many students’ favorite traditions center around Christmas presents, including freshman undeclared student Jaylon Anderson and freshman electrical engineering major Caleb Simpson.

“Opening one present on Christmas Eve is my favorite tradition,” Anderson said.

Simpson had a similar favorite.

“One of my family’s traditions is that we open all of our presents a day early,” Simpson said.

Jonnese Goings, a sophomore majoring in business management is excited by the opportunity to give gifts to others.

“Buying Christmas presents for people is my favorite part of Christmas,” Goings said.

Other MSU students enjoy getting into the Christmas spirit by watching their favorite Christmas movies.

Christopher Bell, a graduate student studying public administration and policy said he looks forward to watching his favorite Christmas movie over the holidays.

“Watching ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and drinking eggnog, it just doesn’t get better than that in my opinion,” Bell said.

While freshman mechanical engineering major Jack Rogers’ favorite Christmas tradition is related to movies, it is not related to Christmas-specific movies.

“Two days before Christmas every year I watch every Harry Potter movie in order,” Rogers explained.

Sophomore Emily Hubbard, a pre-nursing student, is more excited for Christmas music than Christmas movies.

“I’ve had my playlist of Christmas music ready since October and I’m very excited for it to be socially acceptable to play it nonstop,” Hubbard said.

While many students are looking forward to having a big Christmas dinner, freshman kinesiology major Conner Cook is looking forward to Christmas breakfast.

“Eating breakfast with my family after opening presents on Christmas morning is my favorite part of Christmas.” Cook said.

Corey Polite Jr., a freshman business administration major,  said he enjoys spending time with his father during the holiday season; while sophomore civil engineering major Aaron Cornelius said he enjoys spending time with his brother.

“Hunting with my dad for some of the meal is my favorite part of Christmas,” Polite said.

“I look forward to decorating the house with my little brother,” Cornelius said.

Sophomore animal and dairy science major Kelsey Hofheinz said she enjoys the opportunity to spend time with her mother in the same way they spent time with her grandmother before she passed away.

“Baking cookies with my mom, and my grandma before she passed away, is my favorite Christmas tradition,” Hofheinz said.

Many students are also looking forward to having a few large holiday meals at home.

“Having a big meal, exchanging gifts, and going shopping after are my favorite parts of Christmas,” Andre Brooks, a freshman majoring in broadcast meteorology, said.

Tony Laudadio, a senior double majoring in history and political science, said his family enjoys a traditional Italian Christmas meal every Christmas Eve.

“The night before Christmas we get together with my dad’s sister and have a traditional Italian Christmas meal every year,” Laudadio said.

Freshman architecture major Ashley Casteel said she enjoys some traditional symbols of Christmas.

“Advent calendars and nutcrackers are some of my favorite parts of Christmas,” Casteel said.

Payton Bean, a freshman computer engineering major, said his family has a unique Christmas tradition.

“We adopted my sister around Christmas one year and we are currently in the process of adopting another sibling so I guess if that can be considered a tradition it is my favorite Christmas tradition,” Bean said. 

Taylor Howard, a junior elementary education major, remembers one tradition from her childhood fondly.

“When we were kids we wrote Christmas letters to Santa and then burned them in the fireplace to send them up to Santa,” Howard said.

Some MSU students, including freshman theatre major Lucilus Stout, enjoy giving back during the holiday season.

“My family volunteers at the local shelter and we reminisce,” Stout said.

Sophomore Aaron Cornelius said giving back is important during the Christmas season.

“We go to the nursing home or the local stew pot back home every year,” Cornelius said.

MSU’s students celebrate the holiday season in a wide variety of ways. While MSU students chose to celebrate holidays in different ways, these students are all excited for the holiday season.